1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel antitumor agents and to their production and recovery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The novel antitumor agents of the present invention are believed to represent a unique chemical structure.
Somewhat similar in structure to the antitumor agents of the present invention is the antitumor agent, staurosporine (also called AM-2282), obtained from fermentation of Streptomyces staurosporeus. Staurosporine is described in J.C.S. Chem. Comm., 1978, pg. 800-801 and in J. Antibiotics 30(4): 275-282 (1977). Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 19(6): 459-460 (1980) discloses several indole pigments obtained from the fruiting bodies of the slime mold Arcyria denudata which are structurally related to staurosporine. Certain of the pigments exhibit activity against Bacillus brevis and B. subtilis.